Our volunteer community is growing, and you can be a part of it!

Are you interested in science but have no formal scientific training? Do you want to contribute to scientific research while learning about the world around you and meeting people with similar interests?

Then come join us on a journey of discovery and help us preserve our collections by contributing to research, inside the museum.

  • Help the Bird Collection Take Flight into the Virtual World

    Our remarkable ornithological collection of 150,000 African birds is invaluable to scientists worldwide. Until recently, researchers had to visit the museum in person to study, measure, photograph, or take DNA samples from the birds. By making the collection digitally accessible, we can bring these birds within reach of the entire world.
    To speed up this process, we need your help! If you have some computer skills, you can assist us in processing the photos and files, and prepare them for publication. 
    Join us and contribute to making this unique collection accessible to the world!

    1-2 days per week, from October to December 2024 (EN/NL)

  • Dive into the World of Reptiles and Amphibians!

    Our collections of reptiles and amphibians are mainly preserved in ethanol. Since ethanol evaporates over time, these collections require regular maintenance. By assisting us with this task, you’ll have the unique opportunity to explore these scientific treasures up close and help preserve them for the future.

    ½ day per month, from October 2024 to October 2025 (EN/FR/NL)

  • Archeology puzzle

    You are interested in Archaeology, History or the History of Arts in Africa... and you are patient? If your answer is yes, we invite you to join an exciting research project focused on archaeological pottery fragments unearthed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2023. Pottery fragments still sealed in their plastic bags need careful handling before they can be studied, published, and potentially displayed in the National Museum of Congo. Your task will involve cleaning, cataloging, and piecing together these fragments. It is a relaxing task for those who like solving puzzles. This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with archaeologists and contribute to unraveling one of the great mysteries of Africa’s past.

    Starting from 1 October 2024 (EN/FR)

  • Revive the Musical Heritage

    Are you interested in the promotion of musical heritage and/or issues related to copyright in the musical field?

    The AfricaMuseum houses a sound library with 37,802 audio archives, spanning from 1912 to the present, including unpublished recordings and commercial releases. To offer online access to these recordings, we must first clarify the copyright and neighboring rights, while considering the ethical issues that opening access may raise.

    We need your help to verify and complete the information related to intellectual property. Your tasks will include:
    •    Completing and verifying the necessary data for the online publication of the archives by consulting the physical records and the AfricaMuseum databases. Most of these records are in French. Basic understanding of the language is needed. 
    •    Digitizing the original media and their documentation (records, covers, booklets, etc.).
    Join us and contribute to the preservation and dissemination of this unique musical heritage!

    From October 2024 to January 2025, 2 days/week, for a minimum duration of 3 months. (EN/FR)

  • Help transcribing the registers of our bird collection to enrich our databases! 

    When you visit a museum, what you see is its most prestigious collections and its latest research. But only a tiny percentage of all curated collections are investigated and later put on display. Some specimens will probably never be studied or shown. We challenge you to help us change that!

    The first bird specimen in our ornithology collection dates back to 1897, but written bird registers were only started in the years 1910-1920, when Belgian zoologist Henri Schouteden started working at the scientific services of the museum. These registers have been scanned because they contain valuable information about our bird collection (localities, collectors, special observations), which can be added to our digital databases and thus improve collection management and make the collections better known to researchers worldwide.

    You can help with transcribing the registers online, from the comfort of your home. Once you have registered, you can join any project in the list on the front page of the website. Each project has a tutorial attached that explains the process and how to start transcribing.